DAMASCUS: Daesh group have demolished two more treasured monuments in the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra a month after recapturing it from government forces, the antiquities chief said Friday.
“Local sources told us that 10 days ago Daesh destroyed the tetrapylon,” a 16 columned structure that marked one end of the ancient city’s colonnade, Maamoun Abdulkarim told AFP.
“Yesterday (Thursday), we received satellite photographs from our colleagues at Boston University showing damage to the facade of the Roman amphitheater,” he added.
Before being forced out of Palmyra in a Russian-backed offensive in March last year, Daesh carried out a campaign of destruction at the city’s UNESCO-listed world heritage site, razing treasured temples and tower tombs.
The tetrapylon, built during the rule of the Roman Emperor Diocletian in the 3rd Century AD, consisted of four sets of four pillars each supporting massive stone cornices.
It was a type of monument often constructed by the Romans to mark key crossroads but that at Palmyra was regarded as one of the greatest.
The monument had suffered considerable damage over the centuries and only one of the 16 pillars was still standing in its original Egyptian pink granite. The rest were cement replicas erected by the antiquities department in 1963.
The Roman amphitheater dates to the 1st Century AD. During its first occupation of the city between May 2015 and March last year, Daesh notoriously used it as a venue of public executions and one of its walls was riddled with bullet holes.
“From the first day, I was bracing myself for a terrible outcome,” Abdulkarim said.
“We had already witnessed the terror of the first occupation and frankly I had never thought that the city would be occupied for a second time.
“The battle for Palmyra is cultural not political. I have never understood how the international community and the main players in the Syria conflict could accept the fall of Palmyra.”
The city’s recapture by Daesh late last year gave the jihadists a propaganda boost as they faced assaults on two of their key strongholds — Raqqa in Syria and Iraq’s second city Mosul.
Daesh in new demolitions at Syria’s Palmyra: antiquities chief
Daesh in new demolitions at Syria’s Palmyra: antiquities chief
Anti-Daesh coalitions issues joint statement after Riyadh meeting
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia hosted a meeting of senior diplomatic and defense officials from the Small Group of the Global Coalition to Defeat Daesh in Riyadh on Monday.
Saudi Vice Foreign Minister Waleed Elkhereiji opened the meeting, which was co-chaired by US Special Envoy for Syria Ambassador Tom Barrack.
Participants expressed their appreciation to the Kingdom for hosting the meeting and for its continued role in supporting regional and international efforts to counter terrorism and promote stability.
Participants welcomed the comprehensive agreement between the Government of Syria and the Syrian Democratic Forces, including the permanent ceasefire and arrangements for the civil and military integration of northeast Syria.
They noted the Government of Syria’s stated intention to assume national leadership of counter-Daesh efforts and expressed appreciation for the sacrifices made by the Syrian Democratic Forces in the fight against Daesh.
Participants also thanked the Government of Iraq for its continued leadership in the Defeat Daesh campaign.
The participants reaffirmed their priorities, including the swift transfer and safeguarding of Daesh detainees, third-country repatriation, the dignified reintegration of families from Al-Hol and Roj camps to their communities of origin, and continued coordination with Damascus and Baghdad on the future of the Defeat Daesh campaign in Syria and Iraq.
Participants welcomed the Syrian government as the 90th member of the D-Daesh Coalition. Coalition members underscored their readiness to work closely with the Syrian government and encouraged members to provide direct support to Syrian and Iraqi efforts.
Coalition defense officials highlighted the close coordination between diplomatic and military lines of effort.
Participants received briefings on the current Defeat Daesh campaign, including ongoing detainee transfer operations.
Officials commended Iraq’s efforts to securely detain Daesh fighters and welcomed Syria’s assumption of responsibility for detention facilities and displacement camps housing Daesh fighters and their family members.
Participants reiterated the need for countries to take responsibility for and repatriate their nationals from Iraq and Syria.
Coalition members thanked Iraq for its leadership and recognized that the transfer of detainees into Iraqi custody is essential to regional security.
They reaffirmed their shared commitment to defeating Daesh in Iraq and Syria and pledged continued support to both governments in securing Daesh-affiliated detainees.
